The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 has been passed in the Rajya Sabha during the eary hours of Friday, 4 April, following an intense debate between the NDA and INDIA bloc.
Published Apr 04, 2025 | 11:01 AM ⚊ Updated Apr 04, 2025 | 11:01 AM
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.
Synopsis: On April 4, 2025, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh announced that the Indian National Congress (INC) will challenge the constitutionality of the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Supreme Court. The Bill, passed in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, proposes changes to Waqf boards, including representation for Muslim women and non-Muslims, and renaming the Waqf Act.
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, on Friday, 4 April, announced that the national party will challenge the recently passed Waqf Bill in Supreme Court.
Listing out the legal fights, the Indian National Congress has taken up, Jairam Ramesh said they will soon challenge the constitutionality of the Waqf ammendment bill.
Taking to X, the senior leader wrote: “The INC’s challenge of the CAA, 2019 is being heard in the Supreme Court. The INC’s challenge of the 2019 amendments to the RTI Act, 2005 is being heard in the Supreme Court. The INC’s challenge to the validity of the amendments to the Conduct of Election Rules (2024) is being heard in the Supreme Court. The INC’s intervention to uphold the letter and spirit of the Places of Worship Act, 1991 is being heard in the Supreme Court. The INC will very soon be challenging in the Supreme Court the constitutionality of the Wakf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. We are confident and will continue to resist all assaults of the Modi Govt on the principles, provisions, and practices that are contained in the Constitution of India.”
The INC’s challenge of the CAA, 2019 is being heard in the Supreme Court.
The INC’s challenge of the 2019 amendments to the RTI Act, 2005 is being heard in the Supreme Court.
The INC’s challenge to the validity of the amendments to the Conduct of Election Rules (2024) is being…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) April 4, 2025
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 was passed in the Rajya Sabha during the early hours of Friday, 4 April, following an intense debate between the NDA and INDIA bloc.
The legislation was passed in the Rajya Sabha with 128 votes in favour and 95 against.
Earlier on Thursday, 3 April, the bill was passed in Lok Sabha, in a similar manner, with 288 voting for and 232 voting against.
While introducing the bill in Parliament on Thursday, Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju said, “It is our endeavour to make the Waqf Board a truly secular institution. This bill, which we are discussing, is not new. The history of this bill dates back to pre-Independence in 1913 when the ‘Mussalman Waqf Validating Act’ was passed. Later, in 1923, the ‘Mussalman Waqf Act’ was brought in which accounting and transparency were in focus. After Independence, in 1954, the Waqf Act was incorporated. State Waqf Board was included in this Waqf Act, 1954.”
The bill that was passed in the Parliament seeks to amend the law governing Waqf boards and has proposed far-reaching changes in the present Act, including ensuring the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in such bodies.
It also aims at renaming the Waqf Act, 1995, as the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
